DAYS: Discussion for the month of May

[Toups]

Soooo many false tags lately. I don't mind theme once in a while but when you have 3-4 in one episode and maybe 10-12 in a week, you're getting into JER-at-his-worst-territory.

[Khan]

Really, aren't we just a gloved hand, a porn star and a box-of-french-fries costume away from there again, Toups?

[YRBB]

Excuse me, I just had a stroke.

[Khan]

YRBB = Bret Michaels.

(I know. I'm a bitch. I can't help it.)

;-P

[YRBB]

LMAO!

I hope this means I'll get better soon. It nearly killed me.

[JackPeyton]

Honestly, no.

There is a lot further it must fall before those few things take it there again.

[Eric83]

I love Chloe for the most part, but damn is she stupid. First she is talking about her screwing Philip on the phone outside of the Java Cafe for anyone to hear her, then she just spills out her guts to Carly when there was no way she could have known about what she did. You would think after everything she went through with Lucas (and Kate) that she wouldnt keep this a secret.

I LOVE nuWill, if only he were paired with Chad , but I am interested in him and Stefano bonding, mostly because I know it will send Sami into a tailspin.

[DOOLATWTFan]

True, DOOL is down and that is sad for its future and the future of soaps overall. But I think there is still potential to turn things around if they kick it up a notch.

I think that maybe EJ went too far this time and the fans no longer want him & Sami together ... or at least that easily. When Rafe exposes EJ, that should bring some payoff. Personally I wish they would bring on Ma Hernandez at last. Perhaps she could have a secret, say years ago she had a one night stand with Stefano which left her pregnant, found out what kind of man he is and married Mr. Hernandez to be a father for her child instead. After all, Stefano has been on & off the show so much over the years, who knows what he was up to during that time? Imagine, EJ & Rafe are half-brothers? That would certainly add a whole new dynamic to the story and link the Hernandez family more to the history of the show.

The Maggie/Victor/Vivian triangle could be great if they let Vivian be Vivian. That means a crazed bitch who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. And while we're on the subject, why didn't Victor put up a fight when Phillip hired Nicole? Very uncharacteristic of him. I expected a major blowup there.

As for Melanie/Daniel/Chloe/Phillip/Nathan/Stephanie, I agree with most that the storyline is going nowhere - sorry. They need to stop making Melanie such a heroine and make her what she was - a complex character with many layers, good and bad. And Chloe just needs to go! Don't like anything about her at all anymore. As for Nathan, he could make a good teen heartthrob but not with this writing. They need to make him more interesting, get him involved in an escapade or two, turn him into a white knight in shining armor instead of such a wimp easily manipulated by the women in his life.

Will admiring Stefano is an interesting twist that could offer some long-term possibilities. (Chad & Will a couple? Definitely another possibility!) And the Kate/Maddie storyline does show promise, depending on how it unfolds. If there's no major repercussions, then I will be disappointed. Also now that Anna is acting like Anna again (although the scenes with Calliope were excruciating), get her involved with some other characters, maybe Roman instead of just being a DiMera sidestory. Judging from their previous scenes together, Nicole & her would make a good team too.

The biggest problem I feel was having Bo off the canvas the last few weeks put the Hope/Bo/Carly/Justin/Adrianne storyline in limbo. But now that Bo's returned, hopefully they will get it back into third gear quickly. I just hope the writers don't give into the Bo/Hope fans because I don't believe putting Bo with Carly had anything to do with the ratings erosion. These are the same people who said they would never watch again if John & Marlena were apart because they were the core of the show and the ratings actually went up after they were let go. Besides Bo & Carly are so much hotter right now than Bo & Hope were. Their scenes together just sizzle. And in my opinion Hope did push him away. So, Bo being torn I could buy but to make him just forgive Hope and leave Carly won't work for me.

The writers just need to up the ante some, put some more excitement in there and give us stories that will have a profound effect on the lives of their characters again and the viewers will return. We all know Arianna will be cleared, Anna will live, yada yada. Now give us some stories that will keep your audience guessing.

[AllMyDaysatGH]

I am enjoying nuWill a lot, to. I also liked him and Sami's conversation about him going from an A to a D in Advanced Algebra. A lot of people could relate to what was said in that conversation on both sides, LOL i know i understood Will, cause the same thing similarly happened to me last winter. The way Sami was lecturing him was very familiar. Those scenes were very realistic to me. Anyway, yeah nuWill is a hit, and i like him and Stefano bonding!

I'm actually kind of glad that Chloe has cracked, and the truth is coming out regarding Phloe. I hope Carly doesn't keep it a secret for to long and ends up telling Daniel fairly quick. I want this storyline to move along, get somewhere new...I want to see the drama that ensues once Mel and Daniel find out about their significant others cheating with each other!!

I totally agree....it's time to move on, and if DAYS is going to keep her around, get her involved with other characters...Roman would be a great choice, he's got nothing going for him right now LOL!! We barely see him. Him and Anna have a past, DAYS should capitalize on that...I am so sick of seeing Anna with that smirky Russian Ken Doll, Rafe.

[Khan]

IMO, DAYS does not need another, massive, full-scale "plan" to save it. Ken, Gary and the writers just need to take what they have and kick it up a notch (tm Emeril). Only first, "light's out, Hope!" ;-)

[Jane1978]

Well, I thought this week was fine. The Roman attack was the best done yet. And now, when Bo is back and Hope will have her "ultimate target" available, it should be more attractive for viewers.

Nicol framing Arianna took weeks which dragged , but now when it finally happened it looks good. I´m enjoying Nicol as bad again and knowing who all gets involved this story has a huge potential.

Stephanie and Melanie are so good as enemies, but they really REALLY should keep Steph and Phillip as the rooting couple. I understand they needed to incorporate Carly more into the Salem canvas, but the reasons why Phil/Mel and Steph/Nathan are together are just too forced. Even when the fighting and jealousy scenes are good the story is not gluing together because the proper motivations are missing.

As for Chloe, Nadia is SO MUCH BETTER as actress in scenes with Daniel. And I liked their heart to heart this week. Again, the show shouldn´t throw them under bus so easily just because they needed someone for Carly. Chloe cheating Lucas with Daniel made atleast some sense, but that ONS with Phillip put her definitely and forever in the cheap slut cathegory. Or is there anyone who belives Chloe will stay faithfull to Phillip if/when they really end together again? Yeah, I thought so. I´m sure she will start eyeing Brady or some other guy first second after she and Phillip have their first fight.

Anyway, the show is so much better when they don´t focus on Sami/EJ and Rafe and his (no where going) investigation so much. I really think that´s the show´s biggest weakness now. Hopefully, that utterly embarasing week of Anna/Calliope scenes was the worst the show could fell to and the ratings will finally stabilise. I will never in my life understand how anyone directing or editing the show could think those scenes are so good they deserve an entire week of focus during sweeps (and per Susan Seaforth Hayes interview Gary Tomlin is on the set all the time watching the taping. Is he blind?)

[Michael]

Absolutely. I don't watch the show right now and go, "Oh god, this is so atrocious, I can't handle it, my soul hurts, etc." Just kind of... blah. There are a whole bunch of B-stories going on at the moment. Pretty much all of them work for me, as supporting things, but the drama needs to be waaaay elevated in at least one of them to create a strong A-story.

I do get what people are saying about it feeling like Higley has taken over the writing, in terms of it feeling underwhelming, but I don't think it's directionless. That's actually the one thing keeping my attention these days -- I've felt, for a good year-plus now, that there's always a plan. It might be a boring plan, or a stupid plan, but it's a plan. I don't feel like any of the stories right now are just happening for the sake of happening; they're all (well, mostly) leading to something, which is unlike Higley's 2003 stint, where it felt like a bunch of weird, short-term scenarios being plopped onscreen to kill time.

[Khan]

Seriously, Dena needs to consult a "sleep therapist." There's inspiration, and then there's disorder.

[AllMyDaysatGH]

ITA. I think she has been doing so much better, even when she's not with Daniel. She has improved, and is improving every day, imo. I liked her scenes with Nathan, to.

Might be in the minority, but i at least like when the show focuses on Sami/EJ and Rafe is nowhere to be found. I like how they interact (whether in a good way, or bad), and how EJ and Will don't get along, causing that pull for Sami between the both of them. I think it provides great drama, but Rafe is in the way.

[Jane1978]

Her scenes with Nathan were definitely good. But when she opened him in that tight minidress and invited him inside all alone and he started to talk about her sex addiction I was just waiting when she jumps his bones too. It was almost like some initial scene from a porn movie, very inaproprite.